318 Letters between T. Mercer, fq. 
and, notwithftanding what newfpapers re- 
port to the contrary, I will not take-to 
myfelf the mortification of fuppofing that 
‘my judgment of points of high and effen- 
tial importance to the happinefs of man- 
Kind differs exceedingly from the opinions 
of a man celebrated for the clearnefs of 
his head and the philanthropy of his heart. 
Perhaps you will cheer me with an af- 
furance that we do not differ widely; than 
which nothing would be a more exhili- 
rating cordial to ene, who has the honour 
to be, with every poflible refpeé, 
Your moft faithful and 
Arnos Vale, Humble fervant, 
near Newry, Ireland, Tuomas MERCER. 
roth Feb, 1990. 
eco. 
Mr. Burke's Anfwer to Thomas Mercer, 
£/q- 
DEAR SIR, 
The fpeedy anfwer I return to your 
letter, EF hope, will convince you of the 
high value I fet upon the regard you are 
fo good to exprefs for me, and the obli- 
ging trouble which you take to inform my 
judgment upon matters in which we are 
all very deeply concerned. I think per- 
fe&ly well of your heart and your prin- 
ciples, and of the ftrength of your natural 
underftanding, which, according to your 
opportunities, you have not’ been wanting 
in pains toimprove. If you are miftaken, 
‘it is perhaps owing to the impreffion 
zimoft inevitably made by the various 
earelefs converfations which we are en- 
gsged in through life; converfations in 
which thefe who propagate their doétrines 
have not been called upon for much re- 
fietion concerning their end and tenden- 
cy ; and in which thofe, who impercepti- 
bly imbibe the doétrines taught, are not 
required, by a particular duty, very 
clofely to examine them, orto act from 
the imprefiions they receive. I am obliged 
to aé?, and am therefore bound to cail my 
principles and fentiments to a ftri& ac- 
count As far as my fhare of a public 
truft goes, I am in truff religioufly to 
maintain the rights and properties of all 
deicriptions of people in she pofa/fion 
which legally they hold and in the rue 
by which alone they can be fecure in any 
pokteffion. I donot find myfelf at liberty, 
‘either as aman, or as a truftee for men, 
to take a vefled property from one man, 
and to give it to another, becaufe 7 think 
that the portion of one is too great, and 
that of another too {mall, From my_firit 
juvenile rudiments of {peculaiive Rudy to 
she grey hairs ef my prefent experience, 
& the Rt. Hon. E. Burke. [May 1, 
I have never learned any thing elfe. ¥- 
can never be taught any thing elfe by rea- 
fon; and when force comes, I fhall con- 
fider whether I am to fubmit to it, of 
how I am to refift it. This I am fure of, 
that an early guard againft the manifeft 
tendency. of a contrary doétrine is the 
only way by which thofe who love order 
can be prepared to refift {uch force. 
The calling men by the names of 
<* pampered and luxurious prelates,” &c. 
is in you no more than a mark of your 
diflike to intemperance and idle expence ; 
but in others it is ufed for other purpofes. 
Iris often ufed to extinguith the fenfe of 
juftice in our minds, and the natural feel- 
tgs of humanity in our bofoms. Such 
Janguage does not mitigate the cruel effects 
of reducing men of opulent condition, and 
their innumerable dependenis, to the lait 
diftrefs. If I were to adopt the plan of a 
{poliatory reformation,, I fhould probably © 
employ fuch language; but it would ag- 
svavate inftead of extenuating my guilt 
mm overturning the facred principles of pro< | 
perty. i; ‘e 
Sir, I fay that church and ftate, and 
human f{ecciety too, for which church and 
‘ftate are made, are fubverted by fuch 
dogtrines, joined to ftch praétices, as 
leave no foundation for property in dong 
poffelions. My dear Captain Mercer, it 
is not my calling the ufe you make of 
your plate in your houfe, either of dwel- 
ling or of prayer, ‘* pageantry and hy- 
pocrify,”’ that can juftify me in taking 
from you your own property, and your 
own liberty to ufe your own property ac- 
cording to your own ideas of ornament, 
When you find me attempting to break 
into your houfe to take your plate, usder 
any pretence whatfoever, but moft of all 
under pretence of purity of religion and 
Chiifian charity, fhoot me for a robber 
and 2n hypocrite, as in that cafe I fhall 
certainly be. The §‘ true Cheiftian Re- 
ligion”’ never taught me any fuch pratti- 
ces, nor did the religion of my nature, nor 
any religion, nor any law. ‘ 
Let tho!le who never abflained from a 
fell meal, and as much wine as they 
could fwallow, for a fingle'day of their 
whole lives, fativize ** luxurious and pam- 
pered prelates’, if they will. Det them 
abule fuch prelares, and fuch lords, and _ 
fuch {quires, provided it be only to cor-_ 
rect their vices. I care not much about 
the language of this moral fatire, if they 
‘go no further than fatire. But there are 
occaiions when the language of Falftaff, 
reproaching the Londoners, ‘whom he 
sobbed in their way to Canterbury, ah 
' thar 
